1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with automated, self-cleaning, low-maintenance and low-labor animal watering devices. More particularly, the invention is concerned with such watering devices and methods which provide automatic water filling of a livestock watering tank as water is consumed, as well as predictable, complete water drainage as necessary to reduce bacteria and algae buildup in the water, with only a minimum of fresh water usage for tank cleaning purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Providing adequate supplies of fresh water to farm animals, particularly cattle, is a prime prerequisite for maintaining animal health, well being, and growth. This is particularly the case in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) where heavy water consumption by many animals tends to create poor water quality conditions. That is, animal feed particles and other debris collects in watering tanks raising the bacterial count therein to unacceptable levels and promoting undesirable algae growth.
It is also important that maintenance of animal watering tanks be as automated as possible CAFOs, needing only a minimum of operator intervention. In cattle feedlots, the daily labor required for continually filling, draining, and cleaning of standard, static water tanks can be excessive.
Another CAFO animal watering problem is excessive use of water. In many locales, water constraints are imposed upon CAFOs, and thus is its important that only a minimum amount of water be wasted. Hence, the simple expedient of daily draining of water tanks, while potentially ameliorating the bacterial count and algae growth problems, uses undue amounts of fresh water.
In response to these problems, it has been known to provide watering tanks equipped with a float mechanism and an associated water fill valve to control the water level in the tank. As the tank water level decreases owing to animal water consumption, the float mechanism operates to open the fill valve. Inasmuch as the tank is continuously refilled to the same level, there is a tendency for a contaminant or scum line to form, which requires significant and frequent cleaning of the tank.
In other designs, an upper end of a watering tank is hingedly supported with a lift spring beneath the tank at the opposite end thereof. A water inlet valve is coupled to a source of water and the tank, and linkage between the tank and inlet valve is provided. As water is consumed from the tank, the spring biases the tank upwardly until a limit is reached. At this point the valve linkage serves to open the valve to refill the tank. Such a watering device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,809. However, the '809 patent device does not provide for automated tank drainage, but instead requires an operator to manually open a drain.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,652 describes an automatic livestock watering device of the float control variety. This design is also equipped with an automatic drain assembly including an impeller located within the water inlet line and rotatable in response to inlet water flow. The impeller is operably coupled with a gear train carrying a lug. As the gear train rotates in response to water flow, the lug eventually contacts a toggle rod, which serves to open the drain assembly. Such a purely mechanical system is deficient because it fails to achieve predictable water drainage. Specifically, many CAFO watering sites are connected to well pumps of greatly differing water pressures, such that actuation of the impeller-operated drain assembly varies over a wide range. Furthermore, such well water is often contaminated with dirt or other debris, which can clog the impeller mechanism and prevent proper operation thereof.
Other prior art animal watering devices are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,309,962 and 6,619,232. The systems disclosed in these patents do not provide a periodic automated drain function, and are thus deficient.
There is accordingly a need in the art for improved animal watering devices especially useful in CAFO contexts, and which provides automated water fill and predictable drainage with only a minimal amount of fresh water wastage.